NYT: India, Pak must resolve Kashmir dispute for lasting peace

New York, Dec.7 (ANI): For any lasting peace, India and Pakistan would have to settle their dispute over Kashmir, says a New York Times editorial, adding that in the current scenario, the issue is the region's biggest flashpoint.

It also says that India's growing investment and intelligence network in Afghanistan is feeding Islamabad's insecurity and sense of encirclement, and therefore, India must be transparent about its involvement in Afghanistan.

"If the two countries are going to inch back from the brink, they will need strong support from the United States, China and others powers. These countries also must develop a strategy to strengthen Pakistan's fragile civilian government and stop the country from becoming even more ungovernable," says the editorial.

"The leaders of Pakistan's military and intelligence services must finally realize that the extremists pose a clear and present threat to their own country's survival," it adds.

Though Pakistan has fiercely denied any role in the terrorist attacks on Mumbai, the NYT says that any act of terrorism is horrifying, and the potential aftermath even more so.

It says that the attackers' real goal was to disrupt recent efforts to improve relations - and provoke an even greater cataclysm, and therefore, as far as the leaderships of India and Pakistan are concerned "everything must be done to avoid that."

It lauds India for showing extraordinary restraint, even as Pakistan bounces between sympathy and bluster.

Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari, must face up to his country's involvement - whether official or nearly so, even though he may not be able to accede to New Delhi's demands that all (twenty) suspects be turned over to India for prosecution.

At a minimum, his government must be ready to arrest and try anyone involved in the attacks, and mete out long jail terms if they are convicted. Islamabad must finally shut down all the Lashkar training camps and recruitment activity.

On its part, India must share intelligence with Pakistan on the attack instead boxing Zardari in. (ANI)